How to Stay Home with the Kids and Save Money

How to Stay Home with the Kids and Save Money

Deciding to stay at home with your children is a very rewarding decision, but it can also trigger a lot of anxiety. Going from two incomes to one income may require you to do an overhaul of your budget and really think about your priorities. Some people reduce or cut out their savings when making this transition, but it is just as important to save money when staying at home as it is when you are working. If you are struggling to make your budget work, scale back in the following areas and put the difference in savings. Find out How to Stay Home with the Kids and Save Money. It is possible

Cut Back on Food Spending

Food accounts for a significant part of most budgets. This includes groceries, dining out, and drive-through meals. When you stop working outside the home, your spending should go down quite a bit. You no longer need to purchase lunches at work or put up money for work dinners and events. Instead of shifting this money to lunch dates and drive-through stops, save it.

There are many other ways to spend less money on food. Use your food preparation time during the day to teach your children about healthy food habits, where their food comes from, and how to prepare meals. Consider starting a garden in the summer. Even a small garden can provide quite a bit of your family’s produce.

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Create a Schedule

When you suddenly have an increase in free time during the day, it’s easy to use that time spending money. Don’t get caught in the shopping traffic. Instead, create a weekly schedule that you follow when staying home. Use free resources, like libraries, parks, and play dates to fill your days and entertain your little ones. Lol.. I doubt we will be ‘able to do it ALL” as moms.. but this planner is super cute.

DIY Entertainment and Learning

No matter how old your kids are, you can likely keep them engaged and entertained without going broke. There are tons of craft projects that use items you would otherwise throw away. You can use completed projects to help your children learn, but don’t forget to involve them in the process. Spending a day playing with toilet paper tubes and large cardboard boxes is plenty of fun for a baby.

Automate Your Savings

If you do not make saving money a priority as a stay-at-home mom, you’ll find that any extra money you have trickles away during the week with small treats of drive-through coffee, store outings, and other unnecessary expenses. Set your bank account up to automatically transfer a set amount of money into savings at the start of each pay period. If your “extra” money is more difficult to access, you’ll find that you are much less likely to go to the trouble of using it.

If you are telling yourself “I want to stay home with my kids”- it’s a GREAT idea!

Staying at home can save you a substantial amount of money if you make frugal choices and stick to a budget. Use your time at home to create a life and home your family loves.